Why to watch: Why not? Armstrong is the clear leader to earn the spot as Nebraska’s starting QB in 2014 after he started eight games in place of injured incumbent Taylor Martinez last season. There was plenty to like about Armstrong, notably his 7-1 record (with help from senior Ron Kellogg III) and poise in tight spots. Armstrong shined at Michigan in handing the Wolverines their first home loss under Brady Hoke and again in the Gator Bowl over Georgia.

What to watch: Nebraska likely won’t endanger its quarterbacks in the spring with risky play calls in scrimmages. The objective for Armstrong and top challenger Johnny Stanton, a redshirt freshman, is to demonstrate command of the offense. With his experience alone, Armstrong enters a step ahead, though don’t underestimate Stanton, who, like Armstrong, showed great leadership and a knack for winning as a high-school quarterback. Armstrong has earned the confidence of offensive leaders like Ameer Abdullah and Kenny Bell, an important factor. He's a natural in the option run game, but Armstrong can improve his decision-making as a passer.

What to expect: Look for a spirited competition between Armstrong and Stanton, with freshman Zack Darlington and walk-on sophomore Ryker Fyfe in the background. Armstrong, for a player of any age -- let alone a first-year contributor -- displayed impressive maturity last year in a highly scrutinized spot. All eyes followed his every move, and that will only intensify as he moves forward, starting next month. Armstrong is cold-blooded in his approach to the game; pressure does not bother him. If he progresses at an expected rate, Armstrong should finish the spring in even better shape than he starts it.

Phil Sears/USA TODAY SportsTommy Armstrong Jr. was inconsistent at times as a redshirt freshman, but his 7-1 record as a starter is nothing to scoff at.

Major losses: Taylor Martinez is gone after an anticlimactic senior season in which the returning three-year starter played in just four games. He started all four and lost two after suffering a plantar plate tear in his left foot during the Cornhuskers’ season opener against Wyoming. He leaves as the school record-holder in passing yardage, total yardage and starts at QB, among many other marks. Also departed is Ron Kellogg III, a former walk-on who rose to prominence and turned into a popular figure following his Hail Mary heroics in Nebraska’s November win over Northwestern. Kellogg came off the bench to lead the Huskers to victory at Penn State and earned his first career start on Senior Day as Nebraska fell to Iowa.

Top returnees: Tommy Armstrong Jr. played in nine games and started eight in his redshirt freshman season. His numbers, in retrospect, appear rookie-like: 68-of-131 passing for 966 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. Still, as things unfolded, it felt as if Armstrong was working magic at times behind a makeshift offensive line. And his record -- despite help from Kellogg against Northwestern and Penn State -- sits at 7-1 as a starter, with wins at Michigan and over Georgia in the Gator Bowl. Sophomore Ryker Fyfe and junior Tyson Broekemeier are also back; both are untested walk-ons.

Numbers to know: Armstrong connected on 5 of 7 throws for 59 yards on the game-winning drive as the Huskers snapped Michigan’s 19-game streak at Michigan Stadium with a 17-13 victory. That possession, likely more than any other, offered a glimpse at the kid’s poise. Nebraska fans also soon won’t forget the 99-yard strike to Quincy Enunwa on New Year’s Day.

Key question: How serious is Nebraska about giving redshirt freshman Johnny Stanton an opportunity to challenge Armstrong this spring?

The outlook: Armstrong enters the spring with a big advantage over Stanton, the former Elite 11 co-MVP and state-champion California prep star. But let’s not anoint the confident Texan as the starter in 2014 unless he earns it in March and April.

Armstrong ranked 13th nationally and second in the Big Ten by averaging 14.2 yards per completion. Of his pass attempts, 6.9 percent went for touchdowns -- behind only Braxton Miller in the conference. But Armstrong has plenty of room to improve. His QBR index of 54.4, which measures total quarterback performance, ranked 10th in the Big Ten.

He needs to cut down turnovers and increase his awareness in many situations as a passer. Improvement figures to come with time.

The competition with Stanton could turn intriguing. Stanton is listed as one inch taller and five pounds heavier. He brings a different set of skills but similarities with his attitude and likeability factor.

We're continuing our countdown of the top 10 games from the Big Ten in 2013. Remember that we're taking into account the stakes in the game, the excitement level, the quality of the performances and the atmosphere.

Next up on the list is the game that featured the craziest ending of 2013:

How it went down: With four seconds left, Northwestern called timeout. Nebraska had the ball on the Wildcats' 49, trailing by three. Barring a miracle, Pat Fitzgerald's team was going to get a big win in Lincoln to snap a four-game losing streak, and the Cornhuskers were going to face a lot of uncomfortable questions about Bo Pelini's job status.

But, of course, that miracle happened. Ron Kellogg III heaved the ball toward the end zone, and Jordan Westerkamp caught it off a tip for the improbable game-winning touchdown. Westerkamp had never caught a pass longer than 10 yards in his career and had no career touchdowns before that play, while the walk-on Kellogg came into the season as the third-string quarterback. So, yeah, it was crazy.

The game was also a pretty good one before the play that will live on in Huskers lore. Avery Moss' interception for a touchdown tied the game at 21-21 in the third quarter, while a Tyler Scott interception set up Northwestern for its go-ahead field goal with 1:20 left.

Ameer Abdullah had the unsung play of the game, catching a short pass on fourth-and-long and willing himself through tacklers to get the first down on the final drive. Abdullah's effort led to the play of the year in the Big Ten, helped introduce the public to Westerkamp's glorious mustache and added another chapter to Northwestern's misery.

Player of the game: Abdullah had 127 yards on 24 carries in addition to his key catch late in the game.

Stat of the game: Nebraska won despite losing the turnover battle 4-1. The Huskers' defense didn't allow a touchdown after early in the second quarter and held Northwestern to a field goal after the Wildcats had second-and-goal from the 1 with 1:34 to play.

They said it: “I didn’t even know I could throw it that far,” Kellogg said, “but thank God for Jordan Westerkamp.”

Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesAfter taking over the quarterback job in Week 5, Connor Cook led the Spartans to 10 consecutive wins.

Given the recent success, my next statement might surprise you: Every Big Ten team would be best served picking one quarterback and sticking with him in 2014. That includes Indiana and Northwestern.

Quarterback rotations can be successful in the short term, but they are rarely sustainable or desirable. We saw this at Northwestern last fall, as the Wildcats never established a consistent offensive rhythm and operated with a reduced playbook, in part because of injuries but also because the unit lacked a clear identity. Northwestern finished 10th in the league in scoring.

Minnesota alternated between quarterbacks Philip Nelson and Mitch Leidner during several games, including the Texas Bowl against Syracuse. Although the Gophers had a nice surge during Big Ten play and recorded eight wins, they also finished 11th in the league in scoring and last in passing.

The strongest argument for picking a quarterback and sticking with him comes from the Big Ten's best team in 2013. Michigan State's offense was a train wreck in non-league play as the Spartans used three quarterbacks. After a Week 4 loss to Notre Dame, the coaches decided Connor Cook would be their guy. You all know what happened next, but what struck me was Cook's mindset at the time.

"We went through spring ball competition and fall camp competition, it was the most stressed out I've ever been in my entire life just trying to be the quarterback," Cook said last month before the Rose Bowl. "After I got the starting job and started a couple of games, the stress went away and it turned to focus, me being focused and knowing they're not going to use other quarterbacks in the game and not stress too much that go if I make a bad play I'm going to be pulled.

"That's when the stress went out the window."

Players like Northwestern's Siemian and Indiana's Roberson and Sudfeld are more accustomed to sharing time than Cook was, but each of them, like any quarterback, would rather be the clear-cut starter.

Illinois' Nathan Scheelhaase is another good example of a player who benefited from an unambiguous role. He struggled from the middle of the 2011 season through all of 2012, raising the possibility of a rotation last season. Instead, Scheelhaase started every game and led the Big Ten in passing (3,272 yards).

Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY SportsAfter playing well in place of Taylor Martinez, sophomore signal-caller Tommy Armstrong Jr. is the favorite to start for the Cornhuskers in 2014.

I'm all for competition at quarterback, and the Big Ten will feature plenty of it this spring and summer. Only five quarterbacks -- Ohio State's Braxton Miller, Penn State's Christian Hackenberg, Michigan State's Cook, Iowa's Jake Rudock and Michigan's Devin Gardner -- can feel pretty secure about their starting roles. Gardner has been mentioned as a possible rotation candidate with Shane Morris -- some Michigan fans wouldn't mind seeing Gardner line up at wide receiver, a position of need -- but I'd be surprised if Morris leapfrogs the senior.

I'm also OK with teams employing change-up quarterbacks for a package of plays, be it the Wildcat or something else. Michigan State could be a candidate for this in 2014 with dynamic redshirt freshman Damion Terry possibly spelling Cook from time to time.

The first few games also provide a platform to use multiple quarterbacks in settings that can't be replicated on the practice field. Former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel often did this with his younger quarterbacks, giving them a first-half series or two. It makes sense. But by Week 4, roles must be identified.

All paths lead back to the same place for Nebraska -- or so it seems after a sixth consecutive season under coach Bo Pelini with nine or 10 wins and four losses. This season, the Huskers finished 9-4, but the ride was anything but mundane as Nebraska lost starting QB Taylor Martinez for all but one game of Big Ten play.

It needed late-game heroics to escape at home against Northwestern and to win at Michigan and Penn State, an impressive double even in a down year for the traditional league powers. Freshman quarterback Tommy Armstrong emerged. The defense showed solid improvement. And a TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl win over Georgia sent the Huskers into the offseason with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

Offensive MVP: I-back Ameer Abdullah. He stepped into a leadership role in Martinez's absence and at times carried the Huskers. Abdullah set an example with his work ethic. He rushed for 1,690 yards, the top total in the Big Ten this season and fourth on Nebraska’s single-season charts. And he’s coming back as a senior.

Defensive MVP: Defensive end Randy Gregory. The sophomore newcomer arrived in Lincoln only a month before the season opener but needed little time to acclimate. He was a force from the start off the edge as a pass-rusher, accumulating 10½ sacks. Gregory, despite playing underweight most of the season, posed huge problems for opponents because of his athleticism.

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Best moment: A 49-yard Hail Mary pass from senior quarterback Ron Kellogg III to freshman Jordan Westerkamp provided the winning points in Nebraska’s 27-24 defeat of Northwestern on Nov. 2 at Memorial Stadium. Things appeared decided in the waning minutes before Kellogg, a former walk-on, engineered an 83-yard drive. Only its final play, though, will live in Husker history.

Worst moment: Just a week before the miraculous finish against Northwestern, the Huskers lost 34-23 at Minnesota, marking the Golden Gophers’ first win in 17 tries against Nebraska, dating to 1960. More disheartening than the outcome, though, was the method through which Minnesota won: The Gophers pounded the Huskers, piling up 271 rushing yards against the Blackshirts.

We're starting to wrap up the 2013 Big Ten season, which included the rise of Michigan State to elite status, more accolades for Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller, Iowa's mini-renaissance, Northwestern's backslide, Jerry Kill's health-related absence and Minnesota's impressive response, up-and-down seasons from Michigan and Nebraska and much more. The league's national title drought reached its 11th year, but Michigan State brought home a Rose Bowl championship to the frosty Midwest.

Harry How/Getty ImagesMark Dantonio made seemingly all of the right moves in 2013, including sticking with Connor Cook at QB.

Best coach: Mark Dantonio, Michigan State. Dantonio helped the Spartans find the inches that separated them in 2012, when they lost five Big Ten games by a total of 13 points. He made the right calls on offense after a shaky start, and the Spartans ended up winning their final nine games, including their first outright Big Ten title and first Rose Bowl championship in 26 years.

Best player, offense: Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller. No player dominates the scouting report for opposing defenses like the Buckeyes signal-caller, who complemented premier rushing skills with a more accurate arm, despite some late struggles. He won Big Ten MVP honors and league offensive player of the year honors for the second consecutive season, had 3,162 yards of offense and 36 touchdowns (24 pass, 12 rush). Miller led Ohio State to a second straight undefeated regular season and will be back as a senior in 2014.

Best player, defense: Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard. The nation's No. 1 defense had several standouts, but Dennard tops the list after leading the "No Fly Zone" secondary and earning the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back. A first-team All-American, Dennard recorded four interceptions and 10 pass deflections, and repeatedly shut down opposing wide receivers. He was a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy.

Best moment: Many wondered how Michigan State would fare in the Rose Bowl without star middle linebacker and co-captain Max Bullough, suspended a week before the game. Turns out the Spartans were just fine as Kyler Elsworth and Darien Harris filled in well. Fittingly, MSU sealed its victory on a fourth-down stop of Stanford, where Elsworth leaped over the pile to stuff Ryan Hewitt. The play epitomized a team that overcame every obstacle and a defense that slammed the door on the opposition all year long. Elsworth was named Rose Bowl defensive player of the game.

Best rivalry game: Ohio State at Michigan. We haven't been able to say this very often about The Game in recent years, but the Wolverines and Buckeyes provided plenty of drama on Nov. 30 at the Big House. Neither defense had answers for the opposing offense and the teams combined for 83 points, 74 first downs and 1,129 total yards. Michigan went for the win with 32 seconds left, but its 2-point conversion attempt failed and Ohio State survived.

Best play: Nebraska's season hung in the balance Nov. 2 as the Huskers, coming off of a road loss to Minnesota, trailed Northwestern 24-21 with four seconds left at the Wildcats' 49-yard line. Huskers quarterback Ron Kellogg III, the team's third-stringer entering the season, evaded the rush and launched a Hail Mary to the end zone, which freshman wide receiver Jordan Westerkamp caught following a deflection for the winning touchdown. It saved Nebraska's season and possibly coach Bo Pelini's job.

Best coaching decision:Connor Cook didn't do much in a loss to Notre Dame to separate himself from the other Spartans quarterbacks. But after going to Andrew Maxwell for the final drive against the Irish, Dantonio and the staff decided to stick with Cook for the Big Ten season. It gave Cook the confidence he needed to lead MSU's offense to a Big Ten title.

AP Photo/Lon HorwedelMichigan WR Jeremy Gallon had a game for the ages against Indiana.

Best individual performance: Michigan wide receiver Jeremy Gallon against Indiana. Sure, the Hoosiers' defense has been abysmal forever, but you just don't see too many wide receivers rack up 369 receiving yards, much less in a league game. Gallon set a Big Ten record for receiving yards and recorded the second-highest total for a receiver in FBS history. He had 14 receptions, two for touchdowns. Quarterback Devin Gardner had a team-record 503 passing yards. Ohio State's Miller had big performances against both Penn State and Iowa, Christian Hackenberg lit up Wisconsin's defense, and Cook recorded his first two career 300-yard passing performances in the Big Ten title game and Rose Bowl.

Best freshman: Penn State's Hackenberg. New Lions coach James Franklin inherits a future superstar under center, as Hackenberg backed up his recruiting hype in his first season. Hackenberg finished third in the Big Ten in passing (246.2 YPG) and threw 20 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions. He completed the season by connecting on 70 percent of his passes for 339 yards and four touchdowns against Wisconsin.

Best newcomer: Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory. The junior-college transfer excited Nebraska fans when he came to Lincoln and left them even happier after his first season. Gregory led the Big Ten with 10.5 sacks and tied for second in tackles for loss with 17. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and triggered Nebraska's improvement on defense down the stretch.

Best new coaching hire: Illinois offensive coordinator Bill Cubit. The Illini improved their win total from two to four this season, but things would have been worse if not for Cubit, who helped Illinois improve from 119th in 2012 to 46th this year. Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase was the Big Ten's only 3,000-yard passer. Cubit might have saved head coach Tim Beckman's job for another year, as the Illini now look for a similar jump on defense.

Who would have guessed a year ago that Nebraska coach Bo Pelini would find himself embroiled in a controversy in September over an audiotape that sat harmless nearly for two years?

Or that Randy Gregory would show up on campus in August out of junior college, where he didn’t play last year, and turn into the Big Ten’s most feared pass rusher?

Or that that Ron Kellogg III, the third-string former walk-on, fifth-year senior quarterback, in the first game-deciding moment of his career, would produce a play for the ages that may have saved the Huskers from a .500 season or worse?

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Or that Ameer Abdullah would make Nebraska fans forget about Rex Burkhead? OK, that didn’t happen, but Abdullah’s 1,568 rushing yards -- the most by a Husker since 1997 -- behind a group of offensive linemen who couldn’t field a full unit for practice after Nov. 1, was almost as unlikely.

In the always interesting world of Nebraska football, reality is often better than the stuff of imagination. So with that, here are 10 predictions (some serious and some not) for 2014:

1. Pelini will be lauded in February for the Huskers’ signing of a group of recruits that promises to reinforce the defense with immediate help out of junior college. The coach’s critics will point to a mediocre class ranking.

2. Quarterback Tommy Armstrong will dazzle in the Red-White game, running a basic offense unlikely to resemble the system in the fall designed to fit his strengths.

4. Rumblings out of the conditioning drills of the summer will focus on the leadership attributes and work ethic of Johnny Stanton, Nebraska’s solid No. 2 QB after his strong spring.

5. Several reported sightings will go unconfirmed at Nebraska’s season opener of Carl Pelini, older brother of Bo and former coach at Florida Atlantic. The Huskers will beat the Owls 49-3, the same score from their meeting in 2009.

7. Athletic director Shawn Eichorst will work remotely from Alaska in the week before the Huskers face Miami, his former school. A group of Nebraska fans who live in the state will foil his attempt to avoid detection. Eichorst will decline comment.

8. The Huskers will beat Miami and open Big Ten play with a homecoming win over Illinois and a victory as a 10-point road underdog over Michigan State, arguably Pelini’s biggest win in seven seasons. After a bye week, Nebraska will lose at Northwestern as Armstrong’s Hail Mary is knocked down.

9. Abdullah, in the season’s eighth game, will become the first Nebraska back to post a third 1,000-yard season as Rutgers as fails to avenge its 1920 loss to the Huskers at the Polo Grounds.

10. Nebraska will lose at Wisconsin in overtime, then win out to claim a share of the Big Ten West. The Badgers will get the trip to Indianapolis via the tiebreaker as the Huskers celebrate Pelini’s sixth nine-win season in seven years and point to three losses by a combined 17 points as a sign of progress.

This season's similarities are striking for the combatants in this season's TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, Georgia and Nebraska. Perhaps the most notable similarity between the Bulldogs (8-4) and Cornhuskers (8-4), though, is the numerous injuries that helped prevent them from playing up to their potential.

ESPN.com's David Ching and Mitch Sherman discussed how injuries affected the teams' seasons and what might have been if not for all the physical ailments.

1. Out of all of the injuries they sustained this season, which one was the costliest and why?

Ching: There are a lot of directions you could go here, but Todd Gurley's ankle injury and ensuing three-and-a-half-game absence probably hurt the most. Gurley is one of the biggest difference-makers in the country, and Georgia's potent offense simply wasn't as good without him in the lineup -- particularly when fellow tailback Keith Marshall suffered a season-ending knee injury the week after Gurley went down against LSU. It's not a coincidence that Georgia bounced back from a two-game losing streak upon Gurley's return, nor that the Bulldogs went 4-1 down the stretch once he was back. He totaled 755 yards and 10 touchdowns in those five games.

Sherman:Taylor Martinez began this season as most indispensable Husker -- and by November, we saw why. Without the fifth-year senior, who started a school-record 43 games at quarterback, including four this season, the Nebraska offense shifted from the strength of this team to a liability. The Huskers failed to gain 400 yards in each of their final four games. Tommy Armstrong Jr. and Ron Kellogg III performed admirably, but their numbers paled in comparison to the production expected from a healthy Martinez. In good position to become the second QB in FBS history to surpass 9,000 career passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards, he suffered the fateful foot injury in Nebraska’s season opener. By mid-September, his limitations were painfully apparent, stamped into the record books with losses to UCLA and Minnesota in Martinez’s final two starts.

2. Which position group dealt with the most injury issues?

Sherman: Problems on the offensive line began on the opening series of the sixth game against Purdue as All-Big Ten right guard Spencer Long went down with a season-ending knee injury. Long was the leader of the line and a motivating force for the entire team as a senior captain and former walk-on turned solid NFL prospect. As soon as his linemates began to wear Long’s jersey No. 61 as a tribute, the injury bug spread. First, it was left guard Jake Cotton. Tackles Jeremiah Sirles and Brent Qvale, despite staying in the lineup, dealt with injuries, too, as did center-turned-guard Cole Pensick. Long’s replacement, Mike Moudy, missed the final four games. The injuries hurt most in practice, and Long’s injury got the snowball rolling. Before the Purdue game, Nebraska rushed for 285 yards or more in four of five games. After Purdue, it never topped 195 on the ground.

Ching: Georgia's safeties could make a reasonable argument here, but let's go with the receivers. Malcolm Mitchell suffered perhaps the most bizarre injury of the season when he tore an ACL while leaping into the air to celebrate Gurley's 75-yard touchdown run against Clemson on the Bulldogs' second offensive possession of the fall. Justin Scott-Wesley, who essentially caught the game-winning touchdown passes in the fourth quarter against South Carolina and LSU, tore an ACL while covering a punt against Tennessee. Michael Bennett and Chris Conley also missed multiple games with midseason injuries, and junior college transfer Jonathon Rumph didn't play until Game 8 against Florida after injuring his hamstring in August. Because of the regular lineup shuffling, six Bulldogs have at least 20 catches this season.

Todd Kirkland/Icon SMIGeorgia went 4-1 after sophomore RB Todd Gurley returned to the lineup, and the only loss was the 'Miracle at Jordan-Hare.'

3. What do you think this team might have accomplished if health hadn't become such a factor?

Ching: I hesitate to say Georgia would have been a BCS title contender because its defense was probably not championship caliber. But it's hard to predict what might have been with any certainty since the Bulldogs started losing key contributors in the first quarter of the first game. I'll go so far as to say the Bulldogs at least would have won a third straight SEC East title and been in the running for an at-large BCS bowl spot. With Aaron Murray, who suffered a season-ending knee injury of his own against Kentucky, at the trigger and an impressive array of skill talent, this had the potential to be the scariest offense Georgia has ever put on the field, but we never saw the full complement for even one full game.

Sherman: It’s difficult to quantify in wins and losses, considering the other problems that plagued these Huskers, notably with turnovers and on special teams. Nebraska could have outscored Minnesota with a healthy Martinez and Long. And it’s likely that the second-half meltdown against UCLA never would have happened if Martinez was operating at full strength. The Huskers moved the ball well in a 41-28 loss to Michigan State. Injuries weren’t the issue against the Spartans; turnovers were, but freshmen committed all five. And Martinez, while turnover-prone since his freshman season, torched the Spartans a year ago. But even at 10-2, Nebraska would have missed a repeat trip to the Big Ten title game.

We continue our delivery of the regular-season report cards with Nebraska.

It was an odd year in Lincoln, shaped by injuries and controversy but growth and promise, and it ended with a fan base largely divided. For every member of Husker Nation ready to hand out passing grades, there’s another who saw it in just the opposite way.

Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY SportsAmeer Abdullah, who ran for 1,568 yards, was one of the bright spots for the Nebraska offense this year.

Considering the bevy of injuries on the offensive line and the loss of quarterback Taylor Martinez for all but one game in Big Ten play, Nebraska gets the benefit of the doubt. Its replacements played well enough to keep the Huskers in every game -- if not for the turnovers.

Oh, the turnovers. Nebraska lost the football 28 times, most in the Big Ten, and often turnovers came at the worst times. There’s likely not a team in the country that could have handled four fumbles and an interception against Michigan State better than the Huskers did on Nov. 16. But it was still a 13-point loss.

Before the injuries hit, the Huskers’ running game was a force. And I-back Ameer Abdullah still finished with 1,568 yards, arguably the best season by a Huskers back since 1997. Freshman QB Tommy Armstrong enjoyed some nice moments. Receivers Kenny Bell and Quincy Enunwa did their jobs well.

Nebraska badly missed a playmaker at tight end. But no one will soon forget the Ron Kellogg-to-Jordan Westerkamp Hail Mary that beat Northwestern, a play that single-handedly nudges this grade upward.

Defense: C

Remember the fourth quarter against Wyoming and the first 15 minutes against South Dakota State? Too much bad stuff happened to bump this grade past the point of average.

Sure, the Huskers were young. They needed time to grow into their roles. Why is that, though? How did Nebraska find itself, six years into the coach Bo Pelini regime, in a spot that required a rebuilding job? In year two or three, we’d understand more easily.

There was also debacle in Minneapolis as Minnesota rushed for 271 yards and basically punched the Blackshirts in the face.

Nebraska responded well late. It played a great defensive game in the win at Michigan and a good one to win at Penn State. Even against Iowa, despite losing 38-17, the defensive play was decent.

When factoring the promise for next year -- with emerging stars like Randy Gregory, Avery Moss and Michael Rose -- this defense is better than average. But production doesn’t always meet potential.

Special teams C-minus

Bell on kickoff returns and place-kicker Pat Smith, who was solid all year and hit a game-winning field goal in overtime at Penn State, prevented a failing grade here.

Just too many mistakes and lack of adjustments.

Nebraska averaged 3.04 yards per punt return -- better nationally than only Mississippi State and 1-11 Cal. More than that, the Huskers fumbled a pair of punt returns and erred too often on decisions in the return game.

Additionally, Michigan State converted a key fake field goal against the Huskers, and Pelini’s ill-advised decision to fake a punt against Iowa proved costly.

Overall: C-plus

Nebraska sits 8-4 as it prepares for the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl against Georgia, leaving it with a chance to again reach nine wins. A loss on New Year’s Day would mark Pelini’s first season with five defeats and make this the second Nebraska team not coached by Bill Callahan since 1968 to miss the nine-win benchmark. The absence of key players, youth on defense, turnovers and other mistakes factor in the Huskers’ overall grade. None of it weighs heavily enough to sink this team to great depths, yet Nebraska hasn’t done enough, either, to get far above the industry average.

ATHENS, Ga. -- We learned on Sunday that No. 22 Georgia (8-4) would face Nebraska (8-4) in its bowl game for the second straight season. Let's take a closer look at the two teams in advance of the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, which will kick off at noon ET on New Year's Day and air on ESPN2.

Remembering last year: Georgia closed its 45-31 victory over the Cornhuskers in the Capital One Bowl with a 21-0 run -- featuring touchdown passes from Aaron Murray to Chris Conley of 49 and 87 yards, respectively. Murray torched a previously stellar Nebraska pass defense for 427 yards and five touchdowns and Todd Gurley ran for 125 yards and a score. Huskers running back Rex Burkhead (140 rushing yards and one TD plus 39 receiving and another score) and quarterback Taylor Martinez (204 passing yards, two touchdowns plus 46 rushing) had their moments, but Nebraska's porous defense let the its second-half lead slip away.

Who's under center?: Both of these teams featured a first-time starting quarterback in their last game. Hutson Mason led Georgia back from a 20-0 deficit to beat rival Georgia Tech in double overtime, passing for 299 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The results weren't so positive for Ron Kellogg III in replacing Martinez. He passed for 199 yards, one touchdown and two picks and the Huskers lost 38-17 to Iowa.

Injury issues: The injuries to Murray and Martinez create perhaps the most glaring injury absences from last season's standouts, but both teams have struggled with physical ailments throughout the year. Martinez suffered a foot injury in the first game that hampered him initially and eventually shut him down by midseason. The Huskers also lost valuable offensive lineman Spencer Long and saw a number of other linemen deal with injuries, rendering a formerly dangerous offense ineffective. Sound familiar Georgia fans? Murray made it to the end of the season, but many of his most dangerous weapons did not. Malcolm Mitchell, Justin Scott-Wesley and Keith Marshall all suffered season-ending knee injuries before midseason and All-SEC tailback Gurley led a big group of players who suffered multiple-game injuries.

Todd Kirkland/Icon SMIHow Georgia backup QB Hutson Mason does in comparison to Nebraska's backup QBs will be key in which team wins the Gator Bowl.

More similarities: It isn't just their matching 8-4 records, their having played in a bowl last season or their widespread injury problems that make these teams so similar. They have also dealt with similar problems throughout the season -- namely special teams ineptitude and ugly turnover margins. Nebraska is tied for 118th nationally with a minus-12 turnover margin (16 takeaways, 28 giveaways), while Georgia is not much better, tying for 97th with a minus-6 margin (14 takeaways, 20 giveaways).

Hailing Mary: Although it wasn't technically a “Hail Mary,” perhaps the most memorable play from Georgia's season came when Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall launched a 73-yard bomb into double coverage in the game's final minute, only to have Bulldogs safeties Tray Matthews and Josh Harvey-Clemons converge and deflect the ball to Tigers receiver Ricardo Louis, who caught it for the game-winning touchdown. Likewise, Northwestern was on its way to a 24-21 win over the Cornhuskers before third-string quarterback Kellogg's Hail Mary deflected backward to Jordan Westerkamp for the game-winning score.

Best wins: Nebraska doesn't have a win against a ranked team, but it beat Penn State (7-5) in overtime and edged Michigan (also 7-5) 17-13. Georgia started the season with wins against No. 9 South Carolina (10-2) and No. 16 LSU (9-3) in the first month. The Bulldogs also edged rivals Florida (4-8) and Georgia Tech (7-5).

Worst losses: No. 17 UCLA scored 31 unanswered points to beat Nebraska 41-21 in September. The Huskers also turned it over five times in a 41-28 loss to No. 4 Michigan State in mid-November. Georgia's narrow losses to No. 12 Clemson and No. 2 Auburn were painful, but the two-game midseason losing streak against No. 8 Missouri (41-26) and Vanderbilt (31-27) might have been worse because of the injuries that weakened the Bulldogs' offense in those games.

Defensive stars: Georgia inside linebacker Ramik Wilson leads the SEC and is 10th nationally with 128 tackles, plus he's tied for the team lead with 11 tackles for a loss. Junior college transfer Randy Gregory is a force on Nebraska's defense, leading the Huskers with 17 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hurries from his defensive end position.

X-factor: Quarterback composure will be worth watching. We know Mason will start for Georgia after leading the comeback against Georgia Tech, although he got off to a slow start in that game. Kellogg tossed two first-quarter interceptions in the disappointing loss to Iowa. Freshman Tommy Armstrong Jr., who has started seven games this season, could also get the starting nod against the Bulldogs. Regardless of who starts for the Huskers, the team whose inexperienced quarterback plays a steadier game could very well end up as the winner.

LINCOLN, Neb. --– Top Nebraska performers from its 38-17 loss to Iowa on Friday:

WR Quincy Enunwa: In his final game at Memorial Stadium, the senior caught three passes for 46 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown reception. His 10th score of the year came on a fourth-and-3 throw from Ron Kellogg III and featured a superior effort from Enunwa, who equaled Nate Swift’s 2008 TD total for second in school history. Johnny Rodgers caught 11 touchdowns in 1971.

DT Vincent Valentine: The redshirt freshman regularly won his battle at the line of scrimmage, punctuating a season of regular improvement. He recorded an 8-yard sack of Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock. The regular-season finale also marked the first game of Valentine’s career with multiple tackles behind the line of scrimmage. His effort helped limit Iowa running back Mark Weisman to 72 yards on 24 carries.

LB Michael Rose: Another redshirt freshman defender whose physical style works well against downhill-running teams like Iowa, Rose made notable progress this fall. On Friday, he recorded 16 tackles, the most by any Nebraska player this year. Rose bettered his previous season high of 11 against Illinois and also made four stops behind the line of scrimmage after entering the game with two for the season.

Justin K. Aller/Getty ImagesSenior Ron Kellogg III, a former walk-on, could be in line for his first career start on Saturday.

1. The Nebraska quarterback: Who will it be? The Huskers never made an announcement on a starter this week, perhaps because they're simply not sure if freshman Tommy Armstrong is healthy enough to go on his injured ankle. Or maybe it's because Nebraska wanted to build the suspense on Senior Day before handing former walk-on Ron Kellogg III his first career start. We're going with the latter. Offensive coordinator Tim Beck said redshirt freshman Ryker Fyfe would be ready if needed, which might mean Armstrong is hurt worse than we know.

2. The Senior Day effect: The fifth-year guys among Nebraska's 23 seniors -- players like linemen Brent Qvale, Cole Pensick and Jeremiah Sirles, quarterback Taylor Martinez and defensive back Andrew Green -- were part of the first group scouted and signed by Nebraska coach Bo Pelini after a full year to recruit. In other words, they were his kind of guys. And say what you want about Nebraska's fall from the national radar, these seniors were tough. They've led the Huskers to eight straight wins in games decided by seven points or fewer, including the overtime victory last week at Penn State. Emotions will run high before kickoff.

3. Ameer Abdullah's durability: The Huskers' junior I-back has answered every question through 11 games. But he has averaged 24.5 carries per game over the past four weeks. If he's getting tired, this is not the right opponent to face. Iowa's rushing defense ranks 20th nationally, allowing 123.6 yards per game. Abdullah needs 17 yards to record the fifth 1,500-yard season in Nebraska history. As long as he has plenty of gas in the tank, Abdullah is a good bet to get to 1,600 on Friday.

4. Iowa's downhill running attack: Led by bruiser Mark Weisman, the Hawkeyes do nothing fancy in the running game. They'll line up and pound it at the Huskers. It worked with decent success for Penn State a week ago, but Nebraska stiffened after halftime. The Blackshirts continue to show improvement and climb the charts statistically as the young linemen and linebackers grow into their roles. Iowa has been especially potent in the first half this year, so the importance of a good start defensively for Nebraska is magnified. One way to set the tone? Get ahead in the turnover department, a problem for both teams this year.

5. The white elephant in the room: We can't finish without mentioning the uncertain status of Pelini, who has taken the Huskers within one win of a sixth straight nine-win season. Still, Nebraska appears no closer to the nation's elite than three years ago, and the school's administration, given ample opportunities, has offered little public support for the coach. It's policy for first-year athletic director Shawn Eichorst to stay quiet on personnel matters, but there's a tense moment or two on tap for Nebraska in the wake of this regular-season finale, win or lose.

All the top teams held serve in Week 13, and the Big Ten championship matchup is set for Ohio State and Michigan State to meet Dec. 7 in Indianapolis. The Buckeyes remain atop the league, but which team comes next: Wisconsin or Michigan State?

Although most polls have Michigan State ahead of Wisconsin, we've been keeping the Badgers at No. 2. It's extremely close between the two, and it's too bad the Spartans and Badgers won't face one another this season, especially given their recent history.

We're actually split on the No. 2 spot. Brian is keeping Wisconsin ahead of MSU on his ESPN.com power rankings ballot, while Adam has flipped the two this week, noting Michigan State's superior quarterback and special-teams play.

A second-place tie doesn't really work in the Big Ten rankings, so Wisconsin remains at No. 2 by the slimmest of margins.

Elsewhere, Iowa and Minnesota trade places, and so do Illinois and Northwestern.

1. Ohio State (11-0, 7-0; last week: 1): Another easy afternoon at The Shoe for Urban Meyer's Buckeyes, who set a program record with their 23rd consecutive victory. Quarterback Braxton Miller (144 rush yards, 160 pass yards, 4 TDs) and running back Carlos Hyde (117 rush yards, two TDs) both hurt Indiana early and often, and linebacker Ryan Shazier (20 tackles) sparked a stout defensive effort. Ohio State is very much in the national-title hunt as it prepares to visit rival Michigan this week.

2. Wisconsin (9-2, 6-1; last week: 2): A BCS at-large appearance looks likelier for the Badgers, who won their fifth consecutive game Saturday and their 10th straight against Minnesota. The running backs might grab the spotlight, but it's time Wisconsin's defense received some credit for an exceptional season. Linebacker Chris Borland led the way Saturday with his NCAA record-tying 14th career forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, as the Badgers shut out Minnesota's offense. Wisconsin finishes the regular season against Penn State at Camp Randall Stadium.

3. Michigan State (10-1, 7-0; last week: 3): Quarterback Connor Cook and running back Jeremy Langford continue to sparkle in Big Ten play, as both men performed well in a win at Northwestern. The defense surrendered 224 yards but shut out Northwestern in the second half and recorded two takeaways. Michigan State is headed back to Indianapolis for the second time in three seasons to face Ohio State on Dec. 7. Can't wait.

4. Iowa (7-4, 4-3; last week: 5): Thanks to linebacker Anthony Hitchens and a much-improved defense, Iowa overcame four turnovers to rally past Michigan. Quarterback Jack Rudock (two TDs, three INTs) had an erratic day, but Iowa dominated the second half, erasing a 21-7 deficit to win 24-21. The Hawkeyes will be going to a decent bowl game, and they have a chance for a very nice finish if they can beat Nebraska on the road this Friday.

5. Minnesota (8-3, 4-3; last week: 4): The Gophers are modeling themselves after Wisconsin, which is good, but they're simply not there yet. Minnesota's flaws on offense, especially at wide receiver, showed up Saturday as the Gophers scored no offensive points on their home field. The defense kept the game relatively close, but Minnesota never seriously challenged Wisconsin in the second half. Things don't get any easier this week, when the Gophers visit Michigan State.

6. Nebraska (8-3, 5-2; last week: 6): A horrendous personal-foul call didn't doom the Huskers, who found a way to beat Penn State in overtime and showed some grit along the way. Running back Ameer Abdullah had his typical brilliant game, and quarterback Ron Kellogg III did a nice job in relief of Tommy Armstrong Jr. Kicker Pat Smith stepped up in the clutch as Nebraska won for the third time in four games. The Huskers host Iowa on Black Friday.

7. Michigan (7-4, 3-4; last week: 7): We'd normally move Michigan lower, but there's no place to put the Wolverines because Penn State and Indiana both lost, too. Linebacker Jake Ryan and the defense came to play at Iowa, forcing four turnovers and converting one into points. But the offense remains embarrassingly bad, especially in the run game. Michigan finished with 10 first downs, 60 rush yards and 158 total yards as the heat continues to rise on coordinator Al Borges. Things will likely get worse this week, when Ohio State storms into the Big House.

8. Penn State (6-5, 3-4; last week: 8): This time, Penn State had no late-game heroics because special-teams miscues and other problems resulted in an overtime loss on senior day. The Lions received a big performance from running back Zach Zwinak (149 rush yards) and quarterback Christian Hackenberg accounted for three touchdowns, but the team's limitations in all three phases showed up in the loss. Penn State ends the season with a trip to Wisconsin, which likely won't be pretty.

9. Indiana (4-7, 2-5; last week 9): The lingering defensive issues are there, but Indiana has a new problem: The offense isn't showing up. IU once again felt the absence of injured running back Tevin Coleman against Ohio State, recording just 122 rushing yards. Indiana actually had more first downs than the Buckeyes (24 to 22) but didn't score for three and a half quarters and couldn't stop Ohio State's big-play offense. Kevin Wilson's team finishes the season against Purdue at home.

10. Illinois (4-7, 1-6; last week: 11): Tim Beckman and his Illini players can finally stop talking about The Streak, as Illinois won a Big Ten game for the first time in 777 days (Oct. 8, 2011). There was some typical sloppiness, and the defense struggled early, but Illinois made enough plays down the stretch to get out of Purdue with a four-point win. The Nathan Scheelhaase-Steve Hull connection produced 169 yards and two touchdowns as the close friends are ending their careers on a good note.

11. Northwestern (4-7, 0-7; last week: 10): The unthinkable has happened, the worst-case scenario amazingly eclipsed: Northwestern's bowl streak is over at five seasons after a 4-0 start and a fourth-quarter lead against Ohio State on Oct. 5. The Wildcats actually moved the ball well against Michigan State but repeatedly stalled in plus territory and took no risks despite a winless mark in Big Ten play. Northwestern has its longest losing streak since 1998, and Pat Fitzgerald has some serious work to do in the offseason, which will begin next week.

12. Purdue (1-10, 0-7; last week: 12): Darrell Hazell is looking for any sign of progress and saw some against Illinois, as the Boilers played their first competitive game in the Big Ten. Purdue finally ran the ball a little, as Akeem Hunt eclipsed 100 yards on the ground, and the defense forced four turnovers. Ultimately, Purdue couldn't do enough offensively or slow down Illinois' pass game. The Boilers wrap up the season this week with the Bucket game in Bloomington, Ind.

Matthew O'Haren/USA TODAY SportsNebraska's special teams came through in a big way against Penn State.

Special teams can be a plus for Nebraska: The Huskers decidedly won the kicking game for the first time this month. Brandon Reilly blocked a punt. Kenny Bell returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. Pat Smith kicked three field goals, including a 42-yarder in overtime to win the game. He made the game-winner twice, in fact, after Givens Price was flagged for a false-start penalty on the first attempt from 37 yards. Meanwhile, Penn State’s Sam Ficken missed an extra point that loomed large and a field goal from 37 yards in overtime that put the Huskers in position to win. Nebraska still struggled to generate traction on punt returns, but hey, let’s not split hairs after that performance.

There’s no quit in this team: This we knew before Saturday, but the circumstances changed after Nebraska lost to Michigan State, eliminating the Huskers from contention for a league title. Nebraska is a beaten-up team five weeks into a brutal, six-week stretch, and it played just as hard and determined as ever at Beaver Stadium. Credit the Huskers for their resolve after a bad personal foul call on Sam Burtch negated an Ameer Abdullah touchdown in the fourth quarter. Nebraska kept its composure and, despite a few close calls, tied the game. It dug out of a hole on its final possession and won it in overtime. On paper, Penn State had more motivation on Senior Day in search of a winning season, but the Huskers played like a team that wanted it just as badly.

The quarterback rotation paid off: Questions persisted through October as Nebraska played Ron Kellogg III for a series or two in the first half after Tommy Armstrong Jr. took over the starting spot from the injured Taylor Martinez. At times, the insertion of Kellogg appeared to disrupt the offensive rhythm. If he didn’t prove the value of the two-QB system with his game-winning drive against Northwestern, Kellogg succeeded in showing on Saturday the reason behind it. He relieved Armstrong, slowed by an ankle injury, after three series and drove the Huskers to a touchdown on his first possession. From there, Kellogg settled in and executed the game plan. Kellogg wasn’t spectacular, but he largely avoided mistakes. Without the experience gained this season, who knows if Kellogg could have performed as well against the Nittany Lions.

Top Nebraska performers in its 23-20 overtime win over Penn State on Saturday at Beaver Stadium:

QB Ron Kellogg III: Just when you thought we'd seen the last of the former walk-on and fifth-year senior -- his place in school history secured by the Hail Mary completion to beat Northwestern -- Kellogg re-emerged to take over for Tommy Armstrong Jr. after three series on Saturday. With the Huskers down 6-0, Kellogg led a quick touchdown drive and played the rest of the way, showing guts and guile. It wasn't always pretty, but he finished 20 of 34 for 191 yards. His presence, as usual, appeared to have a calming effect on offensive teammates.

CB Ciante Evans: The Huskers did a decent job on All-American Allen Robinson, holding the 6-foot-3 junior to eight catches for 106 yards. Stanley Jean-Baptiste and the undersized Evans shared time in coverage against Robinson. Thanks to the corners' work, when Robinson got the ball, he usually had little room to run. Evans also contributed a key interception of Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg near midfield in the third quarter as the Huskers led 14-13.

WR Kenny Bell: Thought was given here to place-kicker Pat Smith for his game-winning heroics, and to receiver Brandon Reilly, who seemingly came out of nowhere to catch two passes and block a punt in the second quarter. But you can't overlook Bell, who returned a third-quarter kickoff 99 yards after Penn State took a 13-7 lead. His return equals the fifth longest in Nebraska history and the first returned for a touchdown since Ameer Abdullah went 100 yards in 2011. Bell also caught five passes for 33 yards.

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NFL Draft prospect Randy Gregory delivered a hit that knocked the head of a tackling dummy, one of the hardest hits ever measured in the lab. To see more of how Gregory fared, check out the ESPN Sport Science draft combine special on April 23.